Denali National Park Extension

Following your Southeast Alaska cruise, fly from Juneau to Fairbanks and transfer to the Springhill Suites downtown on the Chena River. This evening, meet your trip leader and traveling companions at a welcome dinner.

Today, visit the University of Alaska Museum of the North, where Alaska’s past is presented through intricate objects and exhibits. The Gallery of Alaska moves from 11,000-year-old stone tools and carved ivory to hand-stitched sealskin parkas, bentwood hunting hats and contemporary Native sculpture—revealing how people have traveled, hunted and adapted to life in the North for millennia.

A centerpiece of the collection is “Blue Babe,” a 36,000-year-old steppe bison recovered from Fairbanks permafrost. Unlike a fossil, Blue Babe retains hide and muscle tissue, with visible tooth marks left by Ice Age predators—physical evidence of a landscape once shared by lions and other now-extinct species.

Elsewhere, a full bowhead whale skeleton hangs overhead, gold nuggets and mining equipment detail the mechanics behind the Gold Rush, and exhibits on earthquakes and plate tectonics explain how Alaska’s mountain ranges and fault lines formed.

Board the Alaska Railroad in Fairbanks this morning and enjoy first-class GoldStar Service en route to Denali, with breakfast served aboard. Lavishly appointed glass dome cars feature custom-designed interiors highlighted with original Alaska art and a private outdoor viewing deck. Enjoy a 360° view of the passing scenery as we follow the Nenana River south through the boreal forest into the Alaska Range. Disembark at Denali Park station, our portal for discovery at the entrance of this 6-million-acre wilderness sanctuary, established as a national park in 1917.  On arrival, transfer to our hotel, located high on a hillside with a panoramic view of the mountains and Nenana River beyond, where we spend the next three nights. Then set off with our guide for an afternoon of introductory exploration.

Over the next two days, search for Denali’s famous wildlife and learn about the Alaska Range ecosystem on a host of daily activities. A highlight is the Tundra Wilderness Tour, offering an opportunity to scout for moose, Dall sheep, caribou, wolves and grizzly bears. Raft the Nenana River, turbid with glacial silt, through Nenana Canyon, and hold a puppy at Husky Homestead—the sled dog training facility of four-time Iditarod winner Jeff King. Come away with a deeper understanding of Denali’s natural and cultural history including birds, mammals, wildflowers, tundra ecology, geology, mountaineering, land use and natural resource issues.

Depart this morning for the scenic half-day drive to Anchorage. Rise above tree line to crest Broad Pass, the north-south divide through the Alaska Range, then leave the black spruce forest of the Interior behind to follow the Susitna River into a vast expanse of paper birch and balsam poplar. If the weather cooperates, we may see Denali’s huge white hulk on the western horizon, the highest point in the glaciated spine of the Alaska Range—and the highest point in North America—at 20,310 feet above sea level.

Once we reach Anchorage, spend an enlightening afternoon at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, an interactive cultural destination celebrating  Alaska’s rich Indigenous traditions. Set on 26 acres, the center features indoor exhibits, storytelling and demonstrations, while outside, tours are offered through recreated villages representing five different Native cultures, showcasing their traditional crafts, practices and subsistence lifestyles. We spend our final night at Anchorage’s most prestigious address, the Hotel Captain Cook, and share a farewell dinner together.

After breakfast, a transfer to the airport is included to meet your flight home.